A Question For Certified Diabetes Educators; WTF?
In April of 2015, I wrote an article about pharmaceutical companies offering to provide free nutrition education classes to diabetics at physician offices. These classes are provided by Certified Diabetes Educators (CDEs). The article goes on to explain why I did not think that this was a good development because the dietary recommendations offered to patients would guarantee that type 2 diabetics attending the classes would be destined to be on diabetes medications for the rest of their lives. The possibility of getting off medications would not be discussed with patients as it would conflict with the pharmaceutical company’s business model.
At the time I wrote the article, I was hopeful that CDEs not directly employed by pharmaceutical companies would offer a low-fat whole food plant-based (WFPB) option to type 2 diabetic patients with the hope of reducing and even eliminating the need for medication – a true reversal of the disease. I was hopeful because Deb Bellerose (Plant-based nurse) and I had presented to a group of Registered Dietitians and CDEs at a local hospital. These health care professionals were aware of and open to the research supporting low fat WFPB diets as treatment options for diabetes.
A Cause For Concern
A recent article published in a free local weekly newspaper provided disappointing evidence that at least one local hospital employs CDEs who do not appear to offer a low fat WFPB option to the patients they serve.
If they are unaware of the benefits of low fat WFPB diets, they are not staying up-to-date with the science. If they are aware of the science, but withhold information because they assume that no patient will comply with such an “extreme” diet, they are selling some of their patients short.
Well designed studies led by Dr. Neal Barnard showed that a low fat, healthy vegan diet, outperformed the conventional American Diabetes Association (ADA) diet when they were compared. A post study survey showed that those following the low fat vegan diet found it easier to follow than those on the ADA diet found the ADA diet to follow. I do not imply that switching to a WFPB diet is easy for most people; it isn’t. But it is not impossible for highly motivated people who want to get off their medications and truly recapture their health to transition to a WFPB lifestyle.
Results from the Barnard studies and other studies convinced the ADA to include Vegetarian and Vegan diets as viable treatments for type 2 Diabetes. Here are some links to some studies:
Lifestyle Medical Doctors like Dr. John McDougall, Dr. Neal Barnard, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn Jr. and others routinely see type 2 diabetics reduce and even eliminate insulin and anti-diabetes medications.
I have no explanation why CDEs are not up-to-date with the science supporting low fat WFPB diet in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. If they are unaware of the research, then I can’t expect them to offer a low-fat WFPB option to their patients. However, if they are aware of the research, but don’t offer the low-fat WFPB option, they must not believe that any patient would undertake an admittedly difficult lifestyle change for the possibility of eliminating his/her diabetes medications. I wish such CDEs would rethink this position.
Offering the Low-Fat WFPB Diet Option Could Impact Millions
On a public health level, if only 10% of type 2 diabetes patients would successfully transition to a low-fat WFPB lifestyle and reduce or eliminate their medications, it would save and improve the lives of millions of Americans. And just think how this would reduce health care costs!
Misinformation Keeps Type 2 Diabetics In The Dark
Instead of offering a low-fat WFPB option and giving patients the possibility of reversing their disease, misinformation is still being shared with patients that, if followed, ensures that patients will be on diabetic medications for the rest of their lives.
Here are some ghastly claims from the CDEs quoted in the newspaper article:
- Patients can still eat foods they love
- There is no restrictive list of foods
- It’s all portion control (this hardly ever works in the long term)
- If you are genetically predisposed to developing type 2 diabetes, then it is your destiny
After reading these claims, I actually blurted WTF!!!
C’mon CDEs, Give Your Motivated Patients A Chance
The well-meaning CDEs admit that managing Type 2 diabetes can be overwhelming. (ie. Insulin shots, anti-diabetes medications, monitoring blood sugar, scheduling walks, scheduling MD appointments, financial costs of medications, dietary portion control, etc..)
They acknowledge that just managing type 2 diabetes is tough, so why do they withhold information about low-fat WFPB diets just because it will initially be tough for patients to adopt?
For those patients willing to give WFPB a shot, they’ll have a chance to CRUSH their disease, not just manage it.
It’s high time for CDEs to get with the WFPB program.
E Excerpt from Laurie Endicott Thomas’s amazing book Thin Diabetes – Fat Diabetes by clicking here!
I’ve been a CDE since 2003 and I have seen patients come off their oral meds., and even off insulin! (by changing their diets).
I know the benefits of WFPB nutrition and I would give my patients a choice of these dietary changes. I know Diabetes can be reversed with diet changes, especially plant based nutrition.